


The Writing on the Wall

by nothingeverlost



Category: Knives Out (2019)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-12
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:20:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25231519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nothingeverlost/pseuds/nothingeverlost
Summary: The first summer without her mom was never going to be an easy one for Marta Thrombey.  Her father, famous mystery novelist Harlan Thrombey, has withdrawn into his writing even more than usual, grieving for his wife.  Younger sister Alice is sixteen and by turns angry at the world or flirting with boys too old for her.  And to top it off her papa’s first family are all at the camp.  Her half siblings rarely acknowledge their father’s second family; she’s not sure how her papa thought vacationing together would fix anything.When she finds herself falling in love with the camp’s dancing instructor, the charming and thoughtful Benoit Blanc, it’s the last thing she needs to complicate her summer.  Or maybe it’s everything she does need.
Relationships: Benoit Blanc/Marta Cabrera
Comments: 11
Kudos: 21





	1. Welcome to the Catskills

“Shit. What are they doing here?” Alice glared, arms crossed, as she leaned against the railing. Alice glared a lot these days, but this time Marta figured it was pretty justified. Walking into one of the rec buildings across the way were Donna and Jacob Thrombey. They hadn’t seen Walt’s family since Christmas, but she followed them on Facebook. They were family, it only seemed polite.  
Jacob was really budding into a creepy right-wing troll. 

“Language, Alice.” Harlan Thrombey didn’t bother looking at what had caused his youngest daughter’s ire. His focus was on the line in front of him for the registration desk. He didn’t like having to wait.

“Sorry papa.” Alice didn’t care about much lately, but their father’s opinion was one of the few things that did matter. Fortunately she was soon distracted as they were given the keys to their cabin, a schedule of activities, and a map of the exclusive summer resort. It was their first time in the Catskills for the summer. Usually they went on a trip as a family, someplace different every year. Last year it had been a month in Spain. Last year had been their last vacation with their mom. Marta was certain papa had chosen a camp this year because it was different. Now, though, she was more curious. It wasn’t an accident that her half brother’s family was at the same resort.

“Let’s go, girls. Our cottage has a lake view. We’ll drop off our suitcases and then you two can go check out the beach.”

“And you can get some writing done? After all it’s been six hours. You must be suffering withdrawal,” Marta teased. She knew her father had packed his typewriter in its special padded travel case. She also knew that for all his talk of ‘relaxing’ he would work just as hard. Hopefully a new location would at least refresh him and give him ideas. The last few months his trash can had been overflowing with wadded up paper. Sometimes it had to be emptied by Fran twice in a day.

“I’ll set up on the porch so I’m getting fresh air. Will that make you happy?” He at least seemed a little more related when he smiled at her.

“For a few hours. We’ll play Go later. You have to take some breaks.” Marta slid into the front seat of their car. It had been her role during their drive to entertain papa. Alice had called dibs on the back seat, and had watched movies with her headphones on for most of the drive. She didn’t bother with her headphones for the short drive to their cottage, but she did check on her phone.

“You know I look forward to our games.” Alice had never liked the game, though she was better at chess than Marta. Go was a game she and papa shared; she knew he missed it when she was away at school.

When they pulled up to the cottage it was charming, two stories tall with a large front porch. The downstairs was one large room with a kitchenette in the corner. Meals, she knew, were eaten at the main lodge but they could make coffee here. She’d have to remember to find some fruit. Sometimes her papa got too caught up in things and forgot meals, but if there was fruit around he would eat it. Upstairs there were two bedrooms and a bathroom. She tossed her suitcase on the bed closest to the window in the room with two beds. Alice wouldn’t care. Fortunately there were two dressers so she didn’t have to worry about that; she’d only have to fight Alice for space in the closet.

“Don’t even think about unpacking, Ms Organized. We’re going to the beach.” Alice dropped her suitcase at the foot of the bed. “And no books, not this trip. We have to check this place out. At least the little incel isn’t a beach person.”

“No unpacking,” she agreed. She did, however, open the outer pocket of her bag to get her sunscreen before following her sister back down the stairs. As they headed for the beach that was only a few dozen yards from their front door she could hear the click of typewriter keys beginning.


	2. Intent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You knew they would be here, did you?”

“You knew they would be here, did you?” The cottage belonging to Linda and Richard was out of view, but she knew it was just through the trees. She’d seen them walking in that direction after dinner and their awkward but brief conversation. Walt and Donna’s cottage was probably not far away either. She doubted they were right next to each other, though. Linda, at least, would want more space than that. Linda didn’t have much more interest in Walt than she did for two half-siblings that were nothing more than an inconvenience and an uncomfortable reminder that her father had fallen in love twice in his life.

“We used to come here every summer, when Linda, Neil, and Walt were growing up. Always got the same cabin - not this one- and stayed for the full eight weeks. Neil’s first job was as a lifeguard here. Linda was an activity coordinator one summer. We loved this place. I don’t think we were ever so close as when we were here. Things were different then, not like it is with you and your sister. We didn’t make time for dinners most nights, didn’t have movie Fridays or weekend outings. At home everyone had their own things. But here we were family.” He looked out at the trees, but Marta imagined he wasn’t seeing them. She knew that her papa’s relationship with his older children bothered him. He had tried, with giving Walt the job at Blood and Wine, but that had seemed to make it almost worse. Things were a little better with Linda, and the letters they wrote each other, but it didn’t help that he hated Linda’s husband. 

“I didn’t know you’d been here before.” It was always strange to think of Linda and Walt as kids. She’d seen the pictures, of course, mostly tucked away in albums. Her papa didn’t speak of them as children much, and Linda was almost exactly thirty years older than she was, their birthdays only a week apart. Walt had still been in college when she’d been born, but her first clear memory of him was his wedding. Out of some sort of obligation or idea of appeasement she’d been one of two flower girls in the wedding, along with Meg. Mostly she remembered being scolded for not standing still enough, and having to smile for pictures until her face hurt. “You invited them?”

“I turn seventy-five this fall, you know,” he mused as he played with a pen. He always had at least one in his pocket. Her papa didn’t like computers or pencils. Pens were for ideas, notes, and letters. His beloved Smith-Corona was for his novels.

“You’re not going to get out of having a party this year.” Her mom had loved parties. Her papa had less interest in them but indulged his wife. Marta figured she owed it to her mom to keep traditions alive. Sometimes parties had been just the four of them going out somewhere extravagant. Sometimes they invited friends over to the house. Occasionally mom had invited the rest of the family, but that always made for an awkward evening. The last time she’d done that was for his seventieth.

“Whatever you and your sister want,” he agreed absently. She figured he was saving his arguments for a date closer to his birthday.

“You feel alright, don’t you?” Despite the warm day Marta felt cold. She’d lost one parent six months ago. She couldn’t handle another loss.

“Fit as a fiddle. Don’t worry about me.” He waved a hand dismissively. Marta looked toward the lake where Alice had convinced one of the college boys to hold her cardigan for her so she could put it on before the fireworks started. She worried about how much Alice paid attention to the boys who were too old for her, and at sixteen any college boy was too old for her, but saying anything would only cause an argument. 

“Good.” Marta returned her focus to her papa. There were enough people on the beach that nothing could happen.

“No matter how good I feel I have to face up to the fact that I’m not going to live forever. I always thought my three girls would have each other. I didn’t think your dear mother…” He was silent, looking down at the patio. “It never occurred to me that she’d be the first to go. Naive, I suppose, especially considering that my career has been built on unexpected endings.”

“None of us expected it.” When she closed her eyes she could still see the cops at the front door, telling them about the accident. It made her stomach tense to think about it.

“I’m not always going to be here, Marta. And when I’m gone they’re the only family you and Alice will have left.” He gestured in the general direction of the other cabins “I want you all to know each other better.”

“I don’t know that they’re interested in knowing us.” Her papa had been a widow for more than a decade before he’d married again, but the children of his first marriage had all refused to come to the wedding. They hadn’t denied it outright, but they’d all had weak excuses that had still hurt her mom years later when the subject was mentioned. When she’d come along Neil was the only one who came to the hospital. By the time Alice had been born Neil had already been gone. Joni was barely coping with a three-year-old; it wouldn’t have occurred to her to visit her father-in-law’s new child. Linda and Walt hadn’t bothered.

“You’ll give it a try, though, won’t you?” He slipped the pen into his pocket and held out his hand to her. Marta took it and was relieved to feel the strength and warmth of his grasp. 

“Anything for you, papa.” As the fire firework exploded overhead she could see his smile.


	3. Old Friends and New Possibilities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "So do you think he’s gay? I mean from the way he swings his hips you have to really hope he’s not, but you know how those artists and dancers are."

Marta loved college. She loved the classes, the library, the bio lab. She loved the ivy that climbed up the wall of her dorm room even if she only spent half of her nights there. There were nights when she stayed for a poetry reading or an extra seminar, or times when Alice was in a mood and it was easier to focus at her dorm. Padma was certainly glad of a roommate that was not only quiet but also gone half the time. She had argued that she might as well commute to Boston U, but her mom had wanted her to have the full college experience. 

What her college life didn’t include was dancing. Marta wouldn’t have said she missed it at all. She wouldn’t even have thought about it until five minutes ago. There was a couple in the middle of the rec hall dancing, advertising for the lessons that were available to anyone that wanted to learn, and Marta couldn’t take her eyes off of them. Him, in particular. She’d seen a lot of muscles; one of her textbooks had three chapters on them this semester, but none so perfectly shaped or so well used. 

“So do you think he’s gay? I mean from the way he swings his hips you have to really hope he’s not, but you know how those artists and dancers are. Chances are depressingly high that he has a boyfriend.” She was so distracted by the dancing that she didn’t hear anyone approach her. She half expected Alice, but the woman standing next to her was older by a few years and not as familiar. It took her a moment to realize who she was looking at. 

“Meg?” She hadn’t seen Meg in almost five years, not since Joni had decided that southern California had a ‘better vibe.’ When she was little it was the one uncomplicated relationship she had with her papa’s family. They had joked about Marta being an aunt only a year older than her niece. They had played house and beauty parlor and watched cartoons together. As they had gotten older there had been slumber parties and trips to the mall and for a few years the same sleep away camp. “You’re here?”

“Grandpa called a week ago and said he’d pay for a room for me and mom if we wanted to come on vacation. Mom hesitated but I convinced her that it was a good idea.” Meg grinned, but the smile faded and she suddenly looked as young as she had the last time they’d been together. “I was hoping... I mean I know I’m not very good with calls and stuff and it’s been a long time. Too long. But do you think...”

“I missed you, my friend.” Marta was all too happy to accept a hug.

“Oh thank God. We totally need to catch up. After, you know, the dancing.” Meg’s eyes strayed back to the dance floor and Marta had to admit she was distracted as well. She’d never seen anyone move like that, or dance that close to someone else. It wasn’t like the Academy where the nuns used Bibles to measure space between people. And she’d yet to attend any sort of dance in her three years of college. Her dating life was pretty nonexistent.

“Yeah, we should watch the dancing first,” she agreed. From the healthy tan and the way his blonde hair caught the light she was sure the dancer spent time in the sun. Did he only dance? She could see him as a lifeguard. If she was Alice she might even be tempted to fake drowning.

“Really wish there was a chance in hell the guy at the bar would let us have a couple of drinks. Think they’d believe me if I said I was 21? I’m getting warm just watching those two; I’ve fucked guys that have touched me less than they’re touching.” 

“Meg!” Marta tore her eyes away from the dancers; his hand was skimming down her side in a way that was making Marta feel a little warm too. The woman was leaning into the touch just a little, her eyes half-closed.

“What? You’ve known guys, haven’t you, who skipped all three bases and went straight for the main event? They’re usually the same guys you have to fake it for.” Meg took a sip of water, wrinkling her nose as she looked down at the glass that wasn’t filled with the beverage of choice. “Or maybe you’re not into guys? Totally not judging if women are your thing.”

“I like guys.” She felt her cheeks flush a little at the question. Not even Alice had asked that, despite her rather dry dating life. She’d gone to prom with a group of friends and had only been on a couple of dates in high school. College hadn’t been that much more eventful, though she did go out occasionally.

Meg seemed to lose interest in the dancing, at least for the moment. She grabbed at Marta’s hand and tugged on it. “You have been with a guy, haven’t you?”

“I’ve dated.” She liked the plan about watching the dancing. It was safer, even if it was making her feel warm.

“Totally not what I asked, and you know it. Not dating. Not flashing a guy for mardi gras beads. I’m talking full-on naked wrestling. Naked Trojan wrestling, if you catch my drift, because safety is important.” Marta looked around her. It wasn’t a conversation she particularly wanted to have, but she certainly didn’t want to have it in a crowded room where anyone might be listening in. As happy as she was to see Meg, knowing the rest of the family was around was another matter.

“I’ve never dated anyone that made me want to, you know, wrestle.” Being one of the few non-anglo kids in her private high school as well as the daughter of a famous author had attracted a certain amount of interest, usually from the last type of guys she would be interested in dating. The longest relationship she’d been in high school had ended because she had refused to go to a hotel with him after a school dance. The next day her locker had ‘ice princess’ written on it in sharpie. College was more diverse, but her name was still recognizable. Too many of the people interested in her seemed curious about her dad’s writing, the movies made from his books, or how big of an allowance she had.

“You don’t have to date them to get the benefits.” Meg shook her head. “But it’s totally okay, whatever is right for you. Let me just tell you from experience that you want someone who touches you like that guy is touching his partner. Guys only interested in their own dicks aren't worth your time.” 

Marta wasn’t sure if she was embarrassed that Meg was so frank or grateful that she was so interested in really being a friend. She’d wondered more than once if the move to the other coast was a convenient excuse to end their friendship. She felt the same confusion when the song ended a moment later and the dancers began to leave. From across the room she could see her papa standing up, clearly ready to go back to their cottage. She would need to join him in a moment. “I have to go but I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Breakfast? Mom and I have a room here in the main lodge. Are you still an early riser?”

“Yeah.” She’d always been the first awake in her family. Mag had been an early morning person too, when they were younger. Joni had loved to sleep in, and Meg had learned at a young age how to get breakfast for herself. Weekends she stayed over for sleepovers had been the only time she’d had a hot breakfast.

“Awesome. I’ll meet you here at eight-thirty and we’ll catch up over coffee, okay? I have so many things I want to know about how you’ve been.” Meg was quick to hug her again before looking over to the bar where her mother was holding a drink. ”I better go too, before mom forgets where she put our room key. See you at breakfast.”

“See you,” Marta agreed as Meg moved out of hearing range. This summer certainly wasn’t going to be dull.


	4. At Twilight in the Woods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we finally meet Benoit, and Ransom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for an uncomfortable and unwanted sexual advance

“How much further is it?” She hadn’t been this far away from the center of the camp before. Marta had a general idea of where the lake was, but it would take some time to figure out the paths and the sun was setting. This far into the woods it wouldn’t take long to get dark.

“Just around the next bend. You’re going to like this.” Ransom was just a few steps ahead of her. He’d sat with her at lunch and had been strangely attentive and charming. Usually he just ignored her, and for the past week since he’d arrived had barely said a word to her. When she’d been little the seven year age difference between them seemed momentous; she’d still been in elementary school when he was a senior in high school. Once he left for college he was the family member least likely to attend a holiday event. Often she only saw him at Christmas; no one in the family dared miss that one day. In Ransom’s case it was probably more about the presents; her papa didn’t believe in saving gifts. If you didn’t show up you didn’t get your present, and his gifts were always generous. The year Ransom had graduated college it had been a new car.. 

“Maybe we should wait until tomorrow.” He had told her about the small lake he’d found, more private then the one lined by cottages and filled with canoes and people. Thinking that solitude wouldn’t be unwelcome she’d agreed to go with him, but she was getting more and more uncomfortable with the idea. He never talked to her, why was he being nice now?

“We’re here already.” True to his word they had reached a small lake. Pond was perhaps a better descriptor; it was perhaps twice a big as their swimming pool at home. Ransom was right about privacy, though. There was no one else around.

“How did you find it?” He wasn’t exactly an ‘explore the wilderness’ type. From what she knew of him he preferred private clubs and expensive meals to walking in the woods.

“I heard someone talking. You like this type of thing, don’t you? The whole rustic lifestyle.” He didn’t sneer but it felt like a subtle dig. She’d grown up in a home bigger than his, but her mom had lived in a one bedroom apartment when she met papa and had retained her Cuban accent all her life. Both she and Alice had a little of it too, something that made her papa happy.

“It’s nice. Sometimes it can be refreshing to unplug from all the technology and relax.” Alice wouldn’t agree, of course. Ransom probably wouldn’t either.

“It would be a good place to go swimming.”

“Maybe some other time. I don’t have my suit on.” Alice and Meg both seemed to live in theirs, but she only put hers on when she was planning on going into the water. She wasn’t interested in tanning and she didn’t like the looks she got when she wore a swimsuit without a shirt.

“Neither do I, but we could always go au natural. There’s no one else around.” Before Marta had a chance to register what he was suggesting his hand was on the first one of her buttons, slipping it out of the hole. She jerked back.

“What are you doing?” The single button didn’t expose much, but she clutched the fabric together.

“After three years of college I would hope you’re better at recognizing a move than that. You don’t actually spend all of your time studying, do you?” He uttered ‘studying’ almost as if it was an insult. 

“We’re family.” It felt ridiculous to remind him that he was her nephew. She never thought of him that way, but even if she was interested, which she wasn’t, the connection made things too weird. 

“Are we really? How much do we really know about each other?” He walked around her, circling behind so she couldn’t see him without turning her head. His breath was warm on the back of her neck but it made her shiver. “I’d like to get to know you better, Marta. There’s nothing wrong with that, is there?”

“Papa says you used to play Go with him. We could play sometime.” It was important to her papa that she tried to connect to the family. She didn’t want to alienate Ransom.

“Not the kind of fun I was thinking of.” If it had been someone else she might have liked the feel of his lips on her neck. She might have enjoyed the hand that groped her breast. But it was Ransom and he was holding on too tight. She tried to pull away but he only laughed as he turned her around. “If I have to spend my summer here there should be some perks.” 

His mouth was demanding and unpleasantly minty tasting. When he pressed into her Marta took a step back, finding herself trapped against a tree, the bark sharp against her skin through her thin blouse.

“No.” She squeezed her eyes shut and pushed as hard as she could, managing to make him stumble back a step. “If you leave now I won’t tell anyone.”

“Who would believe you?” He straightened his monogrammed polo shirt and tilted his head to the side. He was right, there were plenty of people that would believe whatever he said. He was good at making people believe what he said. But not everyone.

“Papa would.” It would hurt him. It hurt her, to imagine the look in his eyes. She worried about how he would react. “Just leave and we can forget this happened.”

“You probably don’t even know enough to make it interesting.” He looked very pointedly at her breasts and then further down before shrugging and turning to leave. “You’re not going to get a better offer.” 

Marta counted to ten after he left before her legs wouldn’t hold her up any longer, they were shaking so hard. She collapsed to the ground. Despite the fact that she wasn’t wearing a suit she thought about jumping in the water, washing away Ransom’s touch and the taste of him. If only she could make herself move.

“Do you require assistance? Guests don’t usually come so close to the staff cabins.” Marta wasn’t sure how long she stared at the water before the voice startled her. The warm southern accent was as unlike Ransom’s voice as it was possible to be, but she still found herself shifting away. 

“I’m fine.” It was a lie, of course, The untruth of the statement wasn’t the only reason she found herself leaning over and losing her lunch, but at least she wasn’t shaking as much when she was done.

“I’m sure you are but it’s going to be dark soon and it’s easy to get lost around here. Perhaps I might escort you back?” To Marta’s surprise the man that she recognized from the dancing the other night didn’t seem disgusted by her vomiting. Rather he stepped towards her slowly and offered her a hand. He stopped shy of touching her, giving her time to make the choice to accept his offer.

His eyes were bluer than the water of her mom’s native Cuba. She hadn’t been able to see his eyes when he was dancing. His hand was warm, which didn’t surprise her. She almost missed his touch when he released her hand after she was steady on her feet. “Thank you.”

“It was my pleasure.” His smile faded into a frown. “Are you cold?”

Marta opened her mouth to protest again that she was fine, but she was suddenly too tired to pretend anything other than the truth. “A little.”

“If you might allow me?” He peeled off his sweatshirt, holding it out to her. She’d seen plenty of people in the green sweatshirts with the camp logo, but she was certain none of them smelled the same. He didn’t smell of cologne like she might have expected. There was a hint of something almost floral under the smell of soap and pine trees.

“Won’t you get cold?” Just holding it in her arms made her feel better. She was reminded of a blanket she’d carried around until she was five when it had been destroyed in a superhero cape incident.

“I’ll have to take it off as soon as I get to the lodge anyway, and I think it would do you more good than me right now. It’s just about a mile to the lodge from here, are you okay to walk that far? I’m afraid this path is too narrow for the golf cart, but if you don’t feel up to it the staff cabins are closer. You could lay down for a bit if you needed; this time of night the place is pretty quiet.”

“I can walk.” The last thing she needed was to have to explain to her papa why she was missing from dinner. Breakfast and lunch he usually wouldn’t notice, but they always had dinner together at the lodge. Marta pulled the sweatshirt on over her head. The arms were too long, almost covering her hands, but she didn’t mind. “Thank you again, Mr…”

“You can call me Benoit. It’s Benoit Blanc but no one calls me Mr. I’ll answer to just about anything, though, as long as it’s not Benny.”

“You don’t look like a Benny.” Listening to his voice helped her to focus on where she was now and nothing else. His voice and her “I’m not going to make you late, am I?”

“Not at all, ma’am.”

She shook her head. She was never comfortable with people calling her ma’am. It happened sometimes when she traveled with papa, but it always felt strange. “Please, it’s just Marta.”

“Everyone’s heading for dinner, Marta, and it will be more than an hour before anyone’s looking for me. It’s nice to have the time to take a nice quiet walk in the woods. Reminds me of when I was a boy, though the trees up here are a bit different from what I grew up with down in South Carolina.”

“A place like this is as rustic as papa gets, but when we were little mom would set up camp in the backyard for me and Alice. I loved making s’mores over the campfire. Papa would tell the best stories at bedtime, and mom would stay in the tent with us,” Papa’s stories had been scary even then, until mom had given him a look and they somehow always ended in a joke that would have them laughing. They had laughed a lot when her mom had been alive.

“Alice is your sister?”

“Yeah,” Her only sister, in all but biology. Certainly Linda would have never been interested in campouts in the backyard. Thinking about Linda reminded her of Ransom, distracting her enough that her foot caught in a root. She might have fallen if not for her companion. Marta wondered if it was the dancing that gave him such quick reflexes, or if he was always like that. 

“There’s a nice log up ahead just a dozen feet or so. Makes a nice place to sit a spell.” They rounded the corner and true to his word there was a log on the side of the path, looking just perfectly placed enough to suggest that it hadn’t fallen there by accident. Any branches that might have been there originally were worn away, making it a comfortable place to set. “Comfortable?”

“Yeah.” For a moment the only sound was an owl hooting, and she was glad of the quiet.   
Benoit seemed to understand. They sat next to each other for a few more minutes without saying a word, but the silence was companionable. It wasn’t until she made a move to stand that he stood as well. This time when he offered his hand she took it easily.


End file.
